Dry-pipe valve-accelerating device



. March 23 1926.

. E. TYDEN DRY PIPE VALVE AGCELERATING DEVISE Filed August 25,. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 25g/Www March 23 1926.4

E. vTYDEN DRY PIPE VALVE ACGELERATING DEVICE Filed August '25, i925 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Mar. 23,

EMIL TYDEN, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

DRY-PIPE VALVE-ACCELERATING DEVlGE.

Application filed August 2,5, 1923. Serial No. 659,332.

To ull fic/lam t may concern Be it known that I, Erm. TrnnN, a citi zen of the United States, and resident of Evanston, in the county of Cook and State of illinois, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Dry-Pipe Valve-Accelerating Devices, of which the followingl is a specification, reference being had to thel accompanying drawings, forming a part there-pA The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved construction in a dry pipe purpose of preventing the opening of the main valve upon the occurrence of a minor negligible leakage in the air system, amounting to less than would occur through a single open sprinkler head. It consists in the elements and features of construction shown and described, as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings: i

Figure l is a front elevation of a dry pipe valve casing with certain parts broken away to show the interseat chamber in section and equipped with devices embodying` this invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same also partly broken away to show ythe interseat chamber in section. l

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the construction contained in the casing, E, being` taken substantially as indicated at section line 3-3 on Figurel.

Figure 4l is an elevation of the casing, E, locking in the direction of arrow, l, on Figure 3 and with certain parts broken away to reveal the interior structure.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken as indicated at line 5 5 on Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing modification.

Figure 'i' is a view similar to showing niodilication.

`Figure 3,

Figure 8 is a detail elevationy of operating connections shown in Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a section at `hne 5)-9 on Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a detail section at the line 10-10 Aon Figure 8.

In the structure shown in the drawing, A'

an ara-tus, When set for its ur ose is oc? lP P v `dry pipe'main valve to open.

'ing of the sprinkler head.

Vcupied'by air under pressure. D is the dry pipe main valve having the usualconstruction for seating at two concentric seats, A10 and A, between which there is the usual interseat chamber, a, in which the pressure is normally atn'iospheric, so that the super-atmospheric pressure, operating above the valve D, over thev larger area dened by the outer seat A, as compared with the area defined by the inner seat A10, over which the water ypressure is operative, insures the valve D being held seated by a super-'atmospheric pressure in the system of about 3() lbs. against water pressure in the main vwhich may reach 100 lbs.' `When a sprinkler head opened, causing reduction of the superatmospheric pressure in `the system, which eventually results in the dry pipe main valve Dbeing opened by the water pressure and the water thereby being sent to the open sprinkler head, it is desirable that the opening of the valve should be delayed as little as possible after the sprinkler head is opened and the reduction of air pressure inthe system begins; but when only a single sprinkler head is opened bythe lire, it may require a very appreciable length of time for the air pressure to be reduced so as to permit the The purpose of the present invention is to cause the amount of reduction of air pressure in the system which will beexperienced almost instantly upon the opening of a single sprinkler head, to result in overcoming the differential pressure upon the upper side` of the valve which holds it seated, so that the valve willopen V'almost instantly upon `the open- This is effected by means of devices which are sensitive to the slight reduction of pressure which occurs almostinstantly upon the opening ofthe sprinkler head,v and which, responding to that slight reduction, operate to open a communication from one of the` pressure regions-either the region of .water pressure operating over Ikthe lesser area of the valve,

. D, or the region of air pressure operating over the greater area of the valve,-to the interseat chamber, a, belo-w the dry pipe main valve` hereinafter referred to as the at mospheric pressure chamber. vThese devices are designed with the view to responding, as indicatechto the reduction of pressure which follows the -opening of a single sprinklerV head, while not responding to less reduction of pressure which may result from.

ses

1 parttime-nt` E2.

vfrom the dry pipe main valve 'casing' to the sprinkler system-is a casing, E, Whose chamber is divided by partition, E3, into two compartnients,F El: and' E2, the parti-l tion, E3, has an aperture, e2', extending through it, and uponthe side of said apf c erture, toward the compartiment, El, there is constituted anV expansible and reducible chamber by means ot a flexible diaphragm,

lil, bound to the partitioiat its margin by' the marginal flange, oi' a spider, E, which is sprung spherically away from the plane of the 'diaphragm and partition, E2, to atford space -l'or the diaphragm to be'expauded by pressure reaching it through the aperture, e, in the partition, E2. At. the

y center of the spider it has ahub, F1, in which there is guided a plunger stein, lLhaving the ioot, 7a, resting upon the .center o'l the vdiapl "agm;. and a spring, L,housed iii the hub, F1, stopped at one: end by a closure in the eiid o't the cavityol' the hub and at' the other end. byV pin, Z, inserted through vthe plunger stem, K, re-acts upon the plunger for pressing its toot, 7c, upon the center ofthe diaphragmi A pipe, WT, leading from the. aii pressure region of the sys-H tem and most conveniently from the pipe, C, immediatelybelow the position at which the casing, E, is mounted on said pipe,

vcon'm'uinicates byl Way -of a litting, G, into and with bot-h compartmentsotl the. casing, E. For such communication the tittine', G,

l consists or a pipe nipple cXteriorly threaded throughoutits length, having apertures, g,

-leading 'from its bore to anlexterior an- Lio.

nular groove or channel,Y (/1. The casing,

E, has Yat its-lower side a boss, c, through. which there is extended aduct, el, whichl opens at one end by a portc2 linto the comp The casing Wall bored fand threaded through the boss, e, for receivingV the litting, G. The bore for thatlpurpose intersects tl1e,duct,=e1, and the groove" or extcriorannular channel, g1, oi' the titting is positioned 1n the lengthsy ot' the fitting` so that avhen the latter isscrevved through the boreto a suitable distance for receiving theivalve cage, hereinafter meni tioned., the annular groove, g1, registers with the duct, el, Aand.therebythere is afforded communication from the axial bore .ofthe littinff to theV com4 artment E1. 'Said axial Y i P1 i 7 f borelfitselt leads into the coinpartmentyE2;

andthe inner end of the littingis formed Y oi?. ,the if'alveobeing;guided,.gin fan aperture ,at the center .of the caprcageand being .held

.ee-leila se-afer by: @Qi-ia around the stem of the valve and re-acting against the head ot the valve and head ot the cap. The spring, G3, is designed to be light as to its action'on the valve, so as merely to insure being normally seated, but so as to yield readily to permit the valveV toiopen freely for admission of pressure to the compartment, E2. The operation of this construction as thusv lar described is that the pressure from the air pressure region ot the system obtains access through the fitting, G, With substantially equal ease to both compartments, E1 and E2, and equally freely through the aperture, e3, in the partition, E3, to the right hand side ot the diaphragm resting against the partition, E3,

and to the left hand side ofthe diaphragm through the apertures f1 of the spider, F, with the result that, normally, the diaphragm lies Vflat upon the partition, E3, being undisturbed by Vthe, pressure upon leither side. But in case ot reduction ot pressure in the system to the extent which .would be caused by the openingoi a single sprinltleiliead, that reduction Would be experienced in the chamber, El, as freely and quickly as the pressure is transmitted originally -to that chamber because the relietl will be back through the saine passage, c1, through'which the pressure originally was admitted-gl but in chamber, E2, the relietl Will be experienced only by the restricted escape of air through a small axial duct, glo, which is formed through the valve, G1. And the result Will be -ithat upon such reduction oi' air pressure in the systeiinthe diaphragm, H, will be stretched or eapandedr away from vthe partition,l E3, into the spider, causing the plunger, K, to be thrust out through its bearings in the spider hub. rEhe compartment, El, is connected by pipe, M, with the interseat or atmospheric pressure chamber, a', ,ol2 theV dry pipe main valve casing. `This connection is madethrough a'iitting, ll, screwed into the'casiug, E, Aintruding into Vthe compartment, El, thereof, said iitting having. a seatior a valve, Q, which seats in the direction ol? the pressure from the Chambon-E1, and is provided with a spring, R, re-acting tor opening it against that pressure.""l`hervalve, 6,- has its stein, 02, extending in both directions'and guided at itsropposite ends in guide-spiders, G2 land U3, screwed into theoppos'ite ends offthe fitting. T he stem',- Gl, protrud'es-beyond the guide spider, 02,"in*thecompartment, El, sin position toy be encountered by a lever armr` F1, of the lever, l), tulcruined in the casingone pivotindicated at'y? andhavinga'n op positely extending iveightedlever animi-P2, andan vupwardly extending catcharm, P3, adaptedto `be engaged 'by the catch nose, s, fort-*the latch, S'wpivoted inth'e 'casing and 4fhavingf -a f trip finger or; lug, j51, projecting leerse-tl tlierlaeser stellefgze position to be encountered b y the end ot' that plunger stem upon the least movement `of the latter caused by the .deflection ot the diaphragm away from the partition, E3; and at this position of the latch, S, its catch nose, s, is in position for engaging the catch yfinger, P3, ot the lever, P; and said lever, linger, P3, engaged by said latch nose, when the weighted arm` et said lever is lelevated and the opposite arm, P1, is depressed for holding the valve, O, positively seated against the reaction ot' the spring, R, tending to open it.

The entire operation of the device will now be understood to be that upon reduction ol pressure in the airpressure region of the dry pipe system, the diaphragm, lil, expanding into the spider and thrusting the plunger, K, against the trip lug, S1, of the latch, S, disengages the latch nose, s, from the catch linger, P3, of the lever, lo, whereupon the weightedarm ot the lever descends and the valve-locking arm, P1, rises permitting the valve, O, to be opened by the reaction of the spring, R; and thereby the air pressure from the system, admitted through the t-ting, G, freely to the chamber, E1, is transmitted freely past the valve, O, through the pipe, M, to the interseat or atmospheric pressure chamber, a, of the dry pipe main valve. being thus introduced over the differential area. of the dry pipe main valve, destroying the difference between the pressures at the two sides of the valvel by virtue of which the valve is held seated, the water pressure operating atV the under side of the valve, being in excess of the now equalized air pressure at the two sides or" the valve, opens the valve and floods f the system. Such opening is practically instantaneous and 1s not delayed, as would b-e the case in the absence'of th-e devices de;

scribed, during the slow reduction of pressure in the system which would occur through one or a. small number of open sprinkler heads.

For resetting the device, when making the usual re-set ofthe entire dry pipe apparatus, it is necessary to obtain access to the mechanism in the casing, E, for seating the valve, O, and latching it seated. For this purpose there is provided in the. upper side of the casing, E, an aperture closed by a screwed-in plug,`Z, and this plug is connected by a chain, e, to the weight at the. end of the lever arm P2. The chain has a swivel connection with the plug, so that the rotation of the plug will not tangle the chains. The chain is long enough to permit the weight to fall freely to the full extent necessary to permit the valve, O, to open wide. For setting the device the operator `unscrews the plug .and pulls up the weight until the catch linger,

l), is in position to have its catch The air pressure from the system` P3, is engaged by the' latch nose, s. To

cause such automatic engagement, the latch is provided with a spring, s3, coiled around its pivot stud and `engaged at one end with the latch and at the other end with the casing.

ln Figures 6,7, 8 and 9 kthere is shown a Amodification of the structure, adapting it Jfor admitting pressureto the atmospheric pressure chamber, a, directly from the air screwing it in and stopping it. Afittinfr, l X,

substitutedfor the fitting, N, of the preceding figures, has the valve, O, seatinginwardly at the seat, n, withthe spring, R, tending toV initially` seat it. The pipe, VJ, admitting air lpressure from the pipe, C, is connect-ed to said fitting, NX, instead of to the nipple, G, of the previous figures, and said fitting, NX, communicates at a pointbeyond the valve seat, as seen at nl, with a. duct, el, leading to the nipple, GX, for communication ot pressure between the chambers, E1 and E2, past and through the valve, G1, as in the preceding gures. The shaft p2 of the lever, l), in this construction, protrudes through the casing wall and has anv exterior lever arm, P4, which, at the normal locked position ol the lever, l), shown in Figure 8, engages the arm, Q', of thebell-crank lever, (all, ful# crumed about the stem of a turn-cock valve, V, which controls access thro-ugh the pipe, M, from theL air pressure region of the system to the atmospheric pressure chamber, a, of the dry pipe valve casing, said pipe, M, being conveniently made as shown, a branch of the pipe, lV.V At the position at which thebell-cranlV lever is held `by the engagement therewith of the lever arm,'l?4, the weighted arm Q1 of the bell-crank lever 1Q is at one side of the vertical .plane of its tulcrum, and as soon as the arm, gil, is re leased by the movement of the lever, P4, which results from the falling of the weighted lever, P, upon releaseot the latch, S, the lweighted arm, Q1, falls, and ythefbell-crank lever Q is rocked about'its fulcrum, engaging by the arm, Q1, a co-operating pin, ,71, on the stem ot the turn-cock valve men'ibe'r,V and opens the valve adn'iitting pressure 'from the air pressure region (pipe C), to the atmospheric pressure chamber, a, at the same instant that the valve, O, shuts ofi' the communication of the air pressure region (pipe C), with-the casing, E. Air being trapped i constructed,torl exposing` Vditlei-ent areasto p p in the pipe,"W,' from the pipe, C, to the resetting the device in this term is the same as in the torni ot the previously described `ii`,f: ;ures.

I claim z-V l. In a dry pipe sprinklerv systemy in combination with a dry pipe main yvalve,

the `water and air pressure respectivelyat its opposite sides, and having tor that purpose at `the water inlet-side, a chamber in whichA the pressure is normally substantially atmospheric; a` passage leading trom the reoion ot one otfsaid pressures `to said chamber; a `valve controllingVv said passage; an expansible and collapsible device exposed to the air pressure from the system reaching diiierent areasotthemovable wall oi said `device through unequal ports, whereby change ot air pressure in the system causes temporarily unequal pressure at different areas; a chamberin whichsaid-device is enclos-ed; a lever in said chamber; means actuated by said lever tor controlling the opening ot said valve; a latch in the chamber engaging the lever to lock it in position for holding-said valve closed, and connections trom the latch to said device't'or disengaging the latch for releasing the lever upon movement ot said device.

2. In the -construction deiiiied in claim l, foregoing, exteriorly accessible means tor resetting the lever in latched position.

3.'V VIn the construction defined inclaimv l, foregoing, the expansible and collapsible device, comprising a single diaphragm, the casing comprising two vcompartments 'separated by a partition against one ot which the diaphragm is mounted in one ot the coin- Apartments, saidpartition having an aperture tor air access through it from theother coinpartinent to the yside ot the diaphragm proximate to said partition, the two compartments having respectively vent communications leading back toward the air pressure 'system through unequal ports, the compartment in which the diaphragm is situated having the greater port.

In the construction defined in claim l,

foregoing-the expansible and collapsible .device comprising' a single diaphiagin and a casing within which it is mounted, comprising two compartments separated by a parti--v tion against one side ot which in one oi said compartments the` diaphragm is mounted,

,said partition having an aperture affording tree air access through it trom the other compartment to the diaphragm; a fitting affording air connection trom the system to the ,chamber and having 'separate communications with the two compartments, both relatively unrestricted, a check valve controlling said communication 'ot the fitting with the compartment.)Opposite the diaphragm, said valve vopening tor -aii access to said con partment and having an air passage through it which is restricted relatively to the coin- -munication ot the fitting with the other compartn'ient.

5. In vthe construction deiined in claim l, foregoing, the passage tor admitting pressure to the atmospheric,pressure chamber beingindependent ot the chamber containing the expansible and collapsible device.

. 6. In the construction defined in claim l, foregoing, a valve which controls communication ot' theair pressure region with the chamber containing the expansible andcollap'sible device, said valve being positioned toi' seating by pressure trom the system to cut oit the same from 'said chamber; means in said chamber for locking said valve open,

and connections 'from the eXpansible and collapsible device tor releasing-the locking ymeans to permit the valve to be closed by the air pressure upon the movement ot the wall ot said collapsible device which results upon the occurrenceot the unequal-pressure on its diiiierent areas respectively; whereby air isV held in thepassage of communication Vtroni the 'system to said chamber and prevent access ot water from the system to said chamber. Y

7. In the construction deifined in claim l, foregoing, the chamber which encloses the expansible and collapsible device .having a serew-i'ilug-closed aperture; a screw plug therein;V the valve-controlling` lever being weighted for normally operating by gravity to operate the valve which controls the -admission ot pressure to said chamber, 'said screw plug having a flexible connection with said lever toroperating it by means ot the plug when the latter` is unscrewed trom said aperture for seating the lever at latclied position to permit the valve to be seated.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois, this 16th day of August, 1923.

EMIL TYDEN. 

